COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING COMMUNITY RELATIONS TO CONNECT WITH FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS, E.G., HOW TO WRITE, HOW TO USE, HOW TO BUDGET FOR EXPENDITURES FOR ADVERTISING, ETC.
INTRODUCTION
Students, schools, and families will benefit if
parents are supported in establishing home environments that foster children’s growth and learning. Families whose basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter are not being met have a more difficult time helping their children to do well in school. Schools and community agencies can work together to provide support so that parents can focus
on their children’s needs. The issues and challenges around encouraging parenting skills are:
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Resistance: Parents being resistant to the information being provided
Materials: Gathering information that assists parents in providing the necessary boundaries, high expectations, adult role models, support for academic achievement, and an environment that nurtures the positive social/emotional development of childrenReaching all families: Discovering ways to provide useful information to all families, not just to those who attend meetings at school
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Acknowledging and embracing all families and cultures:Assuring that all imfamilies are welcomed at school and invited to participate at all levels of
involvement
The benefits of helping families enhance their parenting skills are:
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Self-confidence and support:
Parents feel the school is supporting them and
they are confident that they are helping their children. Learning readiness: Parents send their children to school ready to learn, and children are able to concentrate on school issues, without worrying
about safety or basic needs.
Development of parenting strategies: Parents are learning parenting strategies they can use as their children move from one phase of development to another.